Windows 11 offers new video encoding API for apps

Microsoft has introduced a new DirectX12 API. The API enables video specialists to process complex video processes more easily.

This includes Video Decoding or Video Processing ad Motion. The API, which is supported by the computing power of CPUs, provides a number of interfaces that allow customization of various parts of the encoding process.

Functionality

It concerns parts or actions such as creating custom slices, creating partitions, active (CBR, VBR, QBVR) and passive (Absolute/Delta custom QP-maps) modes for the configuration of rate control and the use of own codec-maps. encoding tools.

Also, video specialists can more easily apply codec block and transform size, motion vector precision limit, use of intra-refresh sessions, and dynamic reconfiguration of the video stream resolution/rate control/slices partitions. Effective encoding in, among others, the H264 and HEVC formats is also possible.

Present by default in Windows 11

The released DirectX12 API is suitable for third-party solutions and is included by default in Windows 11. The API is also available in the DirectX 12 Agility SDK (version 1.700.10 preview or newer).

However, the underlying hardware must meet a number of conditions and drivers. Microsoft has prepared a handy overview for the GPU platforms of AMD, Intel and Nvidia.